“We have come to escort you.”
Yuho who was hiding her smile behind her fan gestured toward the fully bloomed ice flower.
Sion was so taken aback by the sudden appearance of such powerful figures that she couldn’t move easily.
Warriors whose limits were impossible to gauge.
She could feel their presence so acutely that even the slightest movement of her fingers, the blink of an eye, and the rhythm of her breath seemed exposed.
Why are these people here…?
Argen Blizzard, Captain of the Snow Tiger Emperor Palace Guard, and Yuho, the Chief Administrator of Tigrova.
Despite not bearing the Frozenheart surname, they were famous as the closest aides to the Snow Tiger Emperor.
That was why Sion was so confused. Who was she, that they would go so far as to leave the palace to welcome her with such honor?
“Um…”
The girl stiffened with nervousness.
Yuho approached with graceful movements. Her voice was rich and smooth as she gently roused Sion from her daze.
“The Emperor has been looking forward to this meeting.”
The first reason for their arrival was clear. She could not be allowed to keep their ruler waiting.
The second reason was even more straightforward. A guest who received the favor and attention of the Snow Tiger Emperor bypassed all formalities and was treated as a state guest without exception.
If they failed to protect Sion properly, it would tarnish the honor of the Emperor who had summoned her.
That’s why everyone present was already prepared to lay down their lives without hesitation to ensure her safety.
Yuho’s words brought Sion back to her senses.
Recalling what she had studied, she hurriedly composed herself and offered a proper greeting.
“Th-Thank you. Then, if you’ll excuse me.”
As soon as she finished her bow, she swiftly returned her firearm to her bag.
As Sion stepped forward and settled inside the ice flower, Yuho stood beside her with a bright cheerful smile.
“This place, Snowfang Valley, has quite a few sights to see, but its location isn’t ideal. It takes quite a bit of time to reach the Snow Tiger Emperor Palace from here.”
It was a subtle way of saying she intended to shorten that travel time.
When she realized that the return trip would also be quicker, Sion felt pleased.
Shrrrk—
The ice petals slowly closed in around them.
Looking around, Sion noticed that countless ice flowers had bloomed, neatly swallowing up the captain of the guard and his soldiers as well.
“Are you comfortable? You’re not feeling cold, are you?”
“No, I’m fine.”
Was Yuho controlling this ice flower herself?
It was fascinating. The temperature inside was perfectly pleasant, neither too warm nor too cold.
Are we moving right now?
Yuho stood still while passing the time, but ever since the petals had closed, there had been no real sense of movement.
There were no vibrations or sounds to indicate they were in motion.
“Fufu…”
Yuho let out a small chuckle as she observed the Testarossa heir, who was different from what she had expected.
Sion, unable to move her head, could only shift her eyes cautiously. Her curiosity was evident. Her expression looked so pure and innocent that it amused Yuho.
“We’ve arrived.”
“….…!”
As the petals parted, revealing the Snow Tiger Emperor Palace, Sion’s lips parted slightly in astonishment.
From Snowfang Valley where the Sky Train had landed all the way to the capital’s palace…..had they truly covered such a great distance already?
Yuho, seemingly satisfied with Sion’s transparent reaction, twitched her fox ears perkily and folded her fan.
“I can’t do this just anywhere, you know?”
“Even so, it’s incredible… I didn’t even feel us moving.”
“Hoho! If only the captain of the guards reacted like this, I’d have more motivation to show off my abilities.”
Argen Blizzard, having drawn attention, had already lined up the soldiers in formation with an expressionless face.
In the blink of an eye, a path to the White Tiger Palace was cleared for Sion’s entrance.
“Shall we go?”
“Y-Yes…”
Following Yuho’s lead, Sion strode forward with confidence.
From this point on, she was truly stepping into the tiger’s den.
Step. Step. Step.
The capital of Tigrova remained unchanged from the days when her parents had lived here.
However, the residence of the royal family had shifted, making the White Tiger Palace an entirely unfamiliar place to Sion.
It’s vast.
That was her first impression.
If she could sense its size even as a fully grown adult, then it was undoubtedly larger than the palace where she had spent her childhood playing.
At the end of her path, an enormous set of doors loomed before her.
The door, made of an unknown metal, was adorned with frost like a work of art.
“Please wait a moment. I will request an audience.”
Just as the captain of the guards stepped forward to speak before the huge doors—
A voice from inside spoke first as if sensing their presence. It was solemn and commanding.
– Enter.
This was nothing unusual. The captain merely glanced at the two gatekeepers.
“Open the doors.”
At his command, the two beastkin guards bowed their heads and moved.
Creaaaaaak!
As the doors rumbled open, Sion’s gaze was immediately drawn to the throne—
Where a towering, mountain-like figure sat.
That man…
The father of the lively beastkin girl, Noah Frozenheart.
The current ruler of Tigrova.
One of the greatest warriors, as many would say in unison.
The Snow Tiger Emperor, Rex Frozenheart.
Was he even the same kind of being as the rest of them?
Unconsciously, the overwhelming aura rising from him sent tremors through Sion’s entire body.
She was certain. If that man so much as twitched a finger with killing intent, she would die.
And yet, the girl who had long awaited this moment mustered her courage.
Seizing the brief silence, she straightened herself and spoke with proper etiquette.
“I am…”
“Enough. Spare me the tedious formalities. I despise such things. Just speak freely.”
The Snow Tiger Emperor rested his huge, lid-like hand against his chin and turned his gaze toward Sion, who stood beside Yuho.
It seemed he had already reached a conclusion after a mere glance.
A sharp grin spread across his face, revealing his fangs.
“You truly are of Testarossa blood. Without a doubt, you are Weber’s child.”
The mention of her father’s name from the emperor’s lips made Sion involuntarily flinch.
Sensing her hesitation, Yuho subtly encouraged her to speak if she had anything to say.
Sion carefully found her voice.
“Is it… because I resemble him?”
“My judgment has nothing to do with appearance. There is a distinct presence unique to those of the same bloodline.”
Perhaps that was why those who had come to greet her refrained from asking any personal questions.
“If you’re curious about appearances, I can answer that as well. Sion Testarossa, you do bear a strong resemblance to your parents. Wouldn’t you agree, Captain of the Guards?”
Argen Blizzard gave a small nod in confirmation.
Both of them held clear memories of seeing the Testarossas before.
“Now, let’s get to the point.”
Though the Snow Tiger Emperor had spoken only in a low voice, it commanded complete attention.
Sion waited in silence for him to continue from his throne.
“Where have you been until now?”
“….…”
“The day I sent Weber off, he said he was going to speak with his kin. That very day, we discovered a large number of elven corpses in the coniferous forest.”
Sion felt her mouth go dry.
Her shoulders grew heavy.
It was clear that whatever she revealed here would become the definitive truth about the Tigrova Elves.
That was why she chose her words as carefully as possible.
She would tell the truth.
From the start, she had never intended to lie.
Besides, she had a strong intuition that lies wouldn’t work in front of these people.
“I will start from the moment I can remember.”
With the ruler of Tigrova and his close aides watching her, Sion recounted the events that came to mind.
She didn’t believe herself to be entirely blameless.
After all, she had once followed orders despite her doubts. That, in itself, was her sin.
“And…”
Her speech wasn’t particularly eloquent, but she did her best to explain everything without justifying herself.
She laid bare everything, including the information the Chief Elder had confessed.
Even the fact that she had managed to escape a crisis thanks to the friends she made in the Academy City.
“…That is all.”
The Snow Tiger Emperor and his aides, who had listened to Sion’s story until the end, showed no sign of disturbance.
Having experienced countless events throughout their lives, they did not react with shock but instead calmly accepted the situation.
“The Reverse Reverence Society… those disgusting worms… What an accursed name.”
The Snow Tiger Emperor scratched his thick neck as he briefly gathered his thoughts.
Most of the work ahead would fall on Yuho’s shoulders, but now that one of his long-held questions had been answered, there was still much to do.
However, this was not something to discuss in the presence of a guest.
The Snow Tiger Emperor decided to focus on communicating with the girl before him.
“Weber Testarossa was my sworn friend.”
“You… knew my father from the beginning?”
At Sion’s words, the Snow Tiger Emperor stroked his beard before letting out a quiet chuckle.
“We only met once.”
“….…”
“There was just a single encounter between us. And that day was the day everything was decided. Still, he was my friend.”
Did the number of meetings or the length of time matter in the end?
If they simply liked each other, that was enough to be friends.
“I’m not just saying this to praise him in front of his daughter. Weber Testarossa was truly an extraordinary man.”
The Snow Tiger Emperor loosened the animal hide wrapped around his wrist, revealing a scar.
A patch of flesh, once pierced clean through, had healed over. Anyone could tell it was the mark left by a bullet.
“I had never once been wary of firearms in my life… until I met Weber.”
“….…”
“This deep scar remains as one of the few enjoyable experiences of my life.”
The captain of the guards who was standing still in his place seemed to share the sentiment in some way.
As the Snow Tiger Emperor absentmindedly touched the scar, recalling the past, he fulfilled a promise made to a friend who had long awaited the right time.
“Appointing an elf from the Tigrova coniferous forest to an important position was a promise I made to Weber Testarossa.”
The king’s gaze shifted to the chief administrator.
Yuho bowed in acknowledgment of the order.
“Yuho, you may even create a new position if necessary. Ensure that Testarossa’s honor is upheld.”
“I will see to it.”
A huge decision had just been made in the span of two short sentences.
Sion hurriedly spoke up.
“P-Please, wait a moment!”
“Oh my, do you happen to have a particular position in mind?”
At Yuho’s question, Sion quickly clarified that it wasn’t that. Her curiosity had simply come first.
“…Does this mean my identity was still considered valid all this time?”
When the Snow Tiger Emperor looked over, Yuho answered.
“If someone remains missing for a certain period, they are naturally declared deceased. However, their status can still be restored, so I intend to update it immediately after this audience.”
“That settles it.”
As if asking whether the answer was satisfactory, the emperor’s gaze lingered on Sion.
She bowed politely.
“Thank you…!”
This had just resolved one of the greatest hardships she faced.
Tigrova was one of the three great powers that ruled over the Academy City of Elysium.
If her status was reinstated, she would be able to live in the Academy City without any need for additional procedures or requests.
“Is there anything else you wish to say? Weber was quite talkative as well. Speak your mind freely.”
At the Snow Tiger Emperor’s words, Sion swallowed hard.
Then, she spoke the most important words.
“I am truly grateful for the position you have offered me. However… for now, I wish to live in the Academy City.”
In short, what this girl desired was freedom.
Seeing her apparent misunderstanding, everyone present gave subtle smiles.
“Child of Testarossa.”
“Y-Yes…!”
“We do not bind anyone by status. Those who hold positions in Tigrova do so of their own will. Giving you an important post does not mean we intend to burden you with troublesome duties.”
With those final words, he made it clear that she only needed to take action when she was ready and willing.
Then, he turned to Yuho and gave another order.
“Rather than assigning her to an idle post, a purely honorary title would be best.”
“I will arrange it accordingly.”
A sense of relief washed over him. At last, he had kept his promise.
The Snow Tiger Emperor let out a breath and looked at the elf girl.
“Sion Testarossa.”
“Yes…!”
“You would prefer to take your parents’ revenge into your own hands, wouldn’t you?”
“I would!”
Satisfied with her unwavering response, the Snow Tiger Emperor gave a nod of approval before saying that he would be watching over her.
Then, he bestowed a new background upon Sion.
“From this moment forward, Sion Testarossa is under the protection of Tigrova. No matter where you go, remember that and carry yourself with confidence.”
“Thank you!”
“And take good care of my daughter as well. She may have learned much, but there is still much more for her to learn.”
When Sion responded with a determined attitude, the Snow Tiger Emperor gave a slight nod, and Yuho pulled a book from his sleeve.
Without understanding the reason, Sion accepted the book that was handed to her.
An explanation followed.
“This is a ledger that converts the remaining personal assets of the Testarossa family into monetary value. Go through it and let Yuho know what you wish to claim and what you have no interest in keeping.”
“This is actually my true area of expertise, so you can trust me. I guarantee everything will be handled at its full value without any loss.”
As Yuho playfully grinned and urged her to open it, Sion expressed her gratitude and unfolded the ledger.
“?”
She froze on the spot at the sight of an amount she had never encountered before.
It was a number so unrealistic that calling it mere money seemed absurd.
How many… zeros is that…?
She couldn’t exactly start counting them one by one with her finger in front of the Snow Tiger Emperor.
Before making a fool of herself, the girl quickly closed the ledger, deciding to review it carefully later.
At that moment, the faces of Rohan and Clara surfaced in her mind.
Leave a Reply